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THE WHISPER
book info: |
MIRA Books Hardcover |
Frequently Asked Questions . . .
On writing novels, experiencing Ireland
and drumming up suspense . . .
How do you come up with your characters?
Carla: Sometimes I wonder how characters find me vs. how I come up with them! If Will Davenport, Lizzie Rush, Scoop Wisdom or Sophie Malone walked into my office right now, I'd recognize them immediately—they feel that real to me. And Bob O'Reilly. I'd know him in a heartbeat. The Camerons, the Harpers…Grit Taylor. For me, characters take on a life of their own as I write about them. I've played with dossiers and such, and sometimes it's useful to stand back from a character and ask "writerly" things: What does he want? What's at stake? But throwing characters into a scene, letting them talk, seeing how they react—that's what makes them come to life for me.
How did you start writing?
Carla: I can hardly remember when I didn't write. I'd climb a tree with a pad and pen as a kid and sit on a favorite branch and spin stories. I loved to read, but we lived in the country and couldn't always get to the library before my books ran out. So I made up my own! I always wanted to write novels, but I also wanted to be a plant pathologist—and I started out at Boston University's College of Fine Arts as a music major. Can't sing, though. Just can't. I ended up graduating with a degree in journalism.
In what order should I read your books?
Carla: Each of my books can be read as a stand-alone novel, even if it's part of a loosely connected series, but if you like to read books chronologically (I do!) you can find the exact reading order under "related books" on my website.
Do Hank Callahan and Antonia Winter have their own story?
Carla: They do, indeed! It's a novella called "Shelter Island." It's just them and a stalker on a small Cape Cod island as a hurricane approaches. "Shelter Island" is one of three novellas in an anthology called ON THE EDGE.
Where do you get your ideas?
Carla: Rarely can I trace an idea back to the exact moment it started percolating. I do know that a family trip to Ireland inspired THE ANGEL, THE MIST and THE WHISPER (July 2010). Stone circles, village pubs, wandering dogs, the ruin of the cottage where my son-in-law's great-grandfather was born—I couldn't resist! COLD PURSUIT, COLD RIVER and COLD DAWN (November 2010) are set in my home state of Vermont and got started during a particularly snowy winter.
I'd love to meet you in person. Do you do book-signings? Will you come to my library or book club?
Carla: I enjoy meeting readers! You can find my updated schedule under "calendar" on my website. Please feel free to stop in and say hi. Any speaking requests can be e-mailed directly to me or to my publicist—check my website for more details.
How can I get a signed copy of one of your books?
Carla: Thank you for asking—we have several options. One, stop at a signing if I'm in you're area. I'd love to meet you in person! Two, call the store where I'll be signing and make arrangements with them for me to sign a book for you—most stores will accommodate you. Three, participate in a "virtual signing"! Watch my website or sign up for my e-list for details. Finally, I'm doing book plates…they'll be ready in time for THE WHISPER (July 2010).
What's a day in your life as a writer like? Do you have a set schedule?
Carla: I'm a dedicated, disciplined writer and I love to write…but I'm not regimented. I don't stick to a draconian page or time quota for each day. At the start of a novel, I like to give the story and characters a chance to simmer. I'll write in fits and starts and do other things—hike, garden, visit family, go shopping, head to Ireland on a whim...which I did last September, as a matter of fact! Seriously, if I try to force the story at this stage, I just get into a mess. As it gets rolling, I have a more regular schedule. Toward the end of a story—it's as if the entire book's on the tip of my tongue. I'm in the zone and work for long stretches at a time.
Do you have a printable list of all your books?
Carla: I do. It's under "bookshelf" on my website. Thanks!
Your books have a strong sense of place. Have you been to all the settings in your books?
Carla: Almost all. I spend a lot of time in Ireland, Boston and Maine, the settings for my ongoing series, THE WIDOW, THE ANGEL, THE MIST and THE WHISPER (July 2010). I live in Vermont—that's where most of COLD PURSUIT, COLD RIVER and COLD DAWN (November 2010) are set. Washington, D.C., Beverly Hills—I've been there, too. The only places I haven't been where I've set scenes: Wisconsin and Wyoming. I have friends who lived there who helped me, but I would love to get to both one of these days.
Do you write from an outline?
Carla: I outline, I write, I outline some more, I write some more—it's not an either-or process for me.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Carla: Figure out what works for you in terms of a writing process vs. trying to stick to what someone else does. It's great to experiment and try other approaches, but writing is an art—and it's your art. There's no one right way to write. Enjoy the freedom of finding your own synergy between "craft" and "inspiration." Most of all, write what you're driven to write. Have fun, and good luck!
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